


The Choices We Make

by AlexiaNite



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mentions of rape and torture, Used archive warnings only as a precaution, Violence, not in great detail
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-07
Updated: 2019-06-14
Packaged: 2019-08-20 01:02:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16545809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlexiaNite/pseuds/AlexiaNite
Summary: In a time of supposed peace, why has Iruka been attacked just outside the village? Who is behind the near murder of the Hokage's husband? Two kunoichi seem to have all the answers, but their story has the potential to change Iruka and Kakashi's lives forever. When faced with the choice of living on oblivious or learning the truth, which will they chose?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've been toying around with this story idea for a while now. I posted a small snippet with a MAJOR plot spoiler in my drabbles fic, The Love We Share. It seemed like there might be some interest in a full fledged story, so here it is. If you don't want it spoiled (it gets to be very obvious), then skip reading it. The section will be added to this story later on. As always, I am my own beta, so please forgive any small errors.

Karasu held perfectly still as the shinobi passed beneath her. With such a tight hold on her chakra, they'd never know she was there. She'd never been this far into the Land of Fire before. They were only a few days travel from the Hidden Leaf Village. She tried to steer clear of the hidden villages, but her target was here and she needed to know why. 

Finally, the group passed. When they were far enough away, she felt the branch next to her move. Tsuyoi landed silently next to her. What was Warui doing out here? "There is another group of leaf nin to the north, much smaller group. ANBU too. I got out of there fast. Still no sign of him." Her sister reported in quietly, like this was any other mission, but they both knew this was different. 

She sighed as she stood. "Head south. I'll take east. We'll meet back here in an ho-" Her words were cut off by a loud explosion to the north. They both froze in place. She made a move to jump down, but her sister caught her arm.

"Karasu. There are ANBU that way. If they detain us, we might lose his trail for good." It had taken then nearly a year to find a solid lead on the asshole. Was it worth risking it all to help some leaf nin? She ignored her sister's warning and pushed off the branch. 

She felt Tsuyoi's chakra flair behind her in annoyance, but she quickly followed behind her. Another explosion rocked the area up ahead. The scene was pure chaos when they arrived. Several shinobi were on the ground, most likely dead, including one ANBU. Another ANBU was fighting a group of masked men, trying to protect a man on the ground behind him. 

Karasu's chakra flared to life. She recognized the symbol the men wore on their left sleeves. Warui. Her tanto were already in her hands when the first masked idiot noticed her. The short blade caught him in the throat and he went down hard. The rest of his friends scattered. They'd been too focused on the ANBU and now they were paying for it. They moved to avoid her attacks, but failed to see her sister until it was too late. 

Tsuyoi wielded her kusarigama with deadly aim. Coupled with her powerful wind attacks, the minions didn't stand a chance. If the blade of her weapon didn't get them, then her cutting wind did. The first few didn't learn this fast enough. They dodged her blade, only to be cut apart by her jutsu.

One of the men got a lucky attack off and the ANBU went down. Just as he went to finish them off, lighting tore through his flesh. He screamed as Karasu landed a devastating kick, enhanced with lighting, that cut deep into his left arm. A well placed kunai finished him off. Realizing they were out matched, the remaining masked minions fled. 

Tsuyoi went to follow, but Karasu stopped her. "They aren't going back to him. They'll scatter, maybe regroup in a few days. We need to get out of here. This close to the village, it won't be long until this area is swarming with ANBU." She was just about to launch herself into the trees when one of the leaf nin groaned in pain. The brown haired one that the ANBU had been protecting. She crossed the small clearing and knelt beside him. His skin was flushed and he was sweating profusely. Poison.

"Tsuyoi, med kit." She called to her sister. The other kunoichi joined her, looking over the injured man.

"We shouldn't waste medical supplies on some unknown shinobi. He's half dead anyways." Honestly, it'd be a miracle if any of the leaf nin survived. A few were still breathing, but there wasn't much they could do for them. 

Karasu glared at her. "The ANBU was protecting him. He was probably their target. If we can figure out why, then we know why he came all the way out here. Now, give me the med kit, so we can get out of here." Her sister reluctantly handed it over. She rolled the man over, taking in his facial scar and chunin vest. She injected him with an anti-poison cocktail. Hopefully, it was enough to save him. 

The man opened his eyes and grabbed her shoulder. He tried to speak, but nothing came out. Karasu tried to gently remove his hand, but he moved unexpectedly and grabbed at the hood of her cape, pulling it back. The chunin's eyes widened as he took in the part of her face not covered by her silver mask. "Ka..shi..." He manged to get it before the poison knocked him out again. 

She stood, pulling her hood back up and tossed the med kit back to Tsuyoi and they took off. She could already fell several chakra signatures quickly approaching the clearing. She pulled her chakra in close, keeping a tight reign on it. There was no need to draw attention to themselves. 

***

Iruka opened his eyes slowly and deeply regretted it. His head was pounding to the point it was making him nauseous. His body felt like lead and he struggled to lift his arm. He heard shuffling and a soft voice telling him to lie still. He forced his eyes open, taking in the room. He finally realized he was in the hospital when a flash of pink hair caught his eye. 

"Shh. Iruka-sensei. You need to stay still or you'll knock your IV out." She gently moved his arm back onto the stomach. 

"What?" He tired to ask her what had happened, but his throat was too dry, making him cough. His former student helped him sit up. She offered him a sip of water. After a few careful sips, he felt slightly better.

"You were attacked on your way back to the village. You were poisoned quiet badly, but luckily one of the ANBU managed to give you something to counteract the poison." Sakura set the water aside, not wanting him to over do it. 

"Not ANBU." Iruka managed to get out, which earned him an odd look from Sakura. "Kakashi saved me."

"You're confused. Kakashi-sensei was in the village when you were attacked." As if summoned by her words, Kakashi burst into the room. 

"Iruka. Thank Kami you're awake. I would have been here when you woke up, but Sakura kicked me out." He crossed the small room, stopping by the bed. Iruka was pale and looked half dead. It killed him to see his husband like that. 

Sakura glared at him. "You were in the way. You can visit for a few minutes, but then you need to go. Iruka needs rest and the village needs its Hokage." She told him firmly and left them alone, nodding to the ANBU outside the door on her way out. 

"I was so worried." Kakashi gently placed his hand over Iruka's, noting how cold and clammy his skin felt. "Do you remember what happened?"

"The attack was so sudden. I tried to help the others, but I got hit by a kunai. I started feeling light headed. I don't remember much after that." His voice was low and raspy. Even with the water his throat still felt dry and it hurt to talk. "I thought you were there. Sakura said it was the poison."

The copy nin gripped his hand. "I wish I had been there. I almost lost you today, Ruka." He tried to hide his emotions, but the thought of almost losing someone else he loved was just too much.

Iruka used what little strength he had to grab his hand back, wanting to comfort his husband. He was still trying to process the fact that he had almost died today. That a lot of other shinobi died in his place. He pushed those thoughts away, filing them away for another time. "I'm here, Kashi. You can't get rid of me that easily." Kakashi lifted his hand and pressed it against his mask covered lips.

They shared a quiet moment before the door to the room flew open, banging against the wall. Naruto ran in, Sakura not far behind him. "Iruka-sensei!" The blond stopped at the foot of his bed, panting like he'd run there at top speed. "Are you okay?"

"Naruto, don't go barging into my patient's room! Idiot." Sakura hit him across the back of his head. "He's supposed to be resting, not being stressed out by your shouting!"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "That really hurt. I was just worried about him." He was going to mention that she'd yelled more than he did, but he didn't feel like being hit by her again.

"I'm okay. Just tired." Iruka could already feel sleep calling to him. He was happy to see them all, grateful to be alive, but his body desperately needed more rest. "Thank you for checking up on me."

"Both of you out now. He isn't going to get any rest with you lurking over him." Sakura directed Naruto and Kakashi to the door. "And find out who did this to him!" She hissed low enough so only they could hear her. She would happily help put down anyone that threatened her previous sensei's life. She hated that she was bound to the hospital, but at least she could make sure he recovered quickly.

***

Karasu crouched down next to the stream, filling her water skin. They’d put a lot of distance between them and the clearing, only stopping to rest for a few minutes. Now, Tsuyoi was scouting for shelter up above her. They’d been mostly silent as they fled, but both of them knew what was on the others mind. Why was Warui and his men this deep in Fire country? Who the fuck was the chunin he’d attacked and why? If only they could get their hands on one of his men.

Tsuyoi landed softly behind her, wind dispersing as she landed. “There’s a cave up ahead. We should be able to camp there for the night and figure out our next plan. There’s a village about half a days walk from there. It’s small, but we may be able to gather some information there.”

“Good. We need to figure out who that chunin is. None of this is adding up. That prick has managed to avoid us for a year. We’ve taken out most of his organization, but he’s never once directly confronted us. He’s playing at something and I hate being this many moves behind him. The tip that led us here was obviously a trap.” The set up had been too perfect, the informant too eager to tell them. 

Her sister shrugged, “If I knew what he was thinking, this stupid game of hide and seek would have been over long ago. Let’s go scout out the cave, then we can find some dinner. The forest around here is thick. We should be able to find some small game easily.”

“Food, then plan. Just like mom taught us.” It’s been a long time joke between the three of them. Can’t plan on an empty stomach, their mother had insisted. But she was gone and the joke had turned into a bitter phrase.

Tsuyoi put her hand on Karasu’s shoulder, wanting to comfort her sister. “I miss her too. We will make him pay for what he did.” The sisters shared a determined look. They had carved a path of blood and destruction through Warui’s men. Nothing was going to stop them now that they were this close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading the first chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it.
> 
> Find me on Tumblr. https://www.tumblr.com/blog/alexianite


	2. Chapter 2

The first village has been a bust, no one had even heard about the attack yet, so they decided to change tactics. It was risky now that Warui’s men knew they were there, but information was vital at this point. They found a larger village, closer to the Hidden Leaf and henged into a disguise. They had to keep a low profile and stay away from any Leaf nin, but after their second day the risk paid off. They had a name.

“Iruka Hatake. Husband of the Hokage, Kakashi Hatake, the copy nin.” Tsuyoi watched her sister’s face as she delivered the news. They had dropped the henges since they were safely tucked away in a room they’d rented. 

Karasu looked down and away from Tsuyoi, knowing that her sister was gauging her response. This was why he was here, why Warui had dragged the last of his men so far from their homeland. “Iruka Hatake.” She steeled herself against the pain that came with that name, with the stories and memories her mother had shared with her. “We’re leaving this village tonight. We need to get closer to the Village Hidden in the Leaves. We need more information on him, now that we know who he is and why Warui is targeting him.”

Tsuyoi frowned, not wanting to argue with her, but she disagreed with this course of action. “Karasu, you’re too close to this.”

“I’m not. We risk discovery by Warui’s men the further away from the Hidden Leaf village we are. If we go in closer, lose the henges, we have much better odds of getting the information we need and we can keep an eye on the village. No one here knows us, so simple disguises will be effective.”

“Iruka Hatake saw your face.” She shot back, wishing for her sister to see the holes in her plan.

“Iruka Hatake was drugged and poisoned out of his mind. Besides, once I dye my hair, people barely recognize me. You remember that Hidden Stone nin a few years back?” Silver hair makes one stand out, but when you remove the most noticeable things about someone, it was easy to slip through unnoticed. 

Tsuyoi rolled her eyes. Her sister has gotten lucky on that mission. The missing nin has been an idiot not to realize who she was until too late. “Fine, but if this goes poorly, I want you to remember that I was against this plan.”

Karasu waved away her concerns. “Just grab your things and let’s get going.”

“You do remember that I’m the older one, correct, you bossy brat?” She tried to keep her tone neutral, but Karasu snorted at her teasing. Tsuyoi had long given up trying to give her sister orders.

***

Iruka let his feet touch the cold hospital floor, wishing for his slippers, and really, any comfort of home. He’d spent two days in bed and was ready to be home, but Sakura insisted that he stayed a few more days for observation. He suddenly understood why Kakashi had escaped from the hospital all those times. He glanced over at the window in his room. There were probably ANBU outside it, so escape was just a pipe dream at this point.

He sighed as he finally pushed himself to his feet and made his way to the tiny bathroom that was attached to his room. No new updates. That’s what Shikamaru had told him when he’d stopped by a few hours ago. Kakashi had visited as much as possible, but this big of a threat to the village was probably keeping him locked away in his office with his intelligence agents. Why was someone trying to kill him? Just because he was the Hokage’s husband? He was going stir crazy, replaying that day over and over again. They’d lost nearly every shinobi that had been out with him that day.

He splashed some cold water on his face, trying to clear away his circular thoughts. Being left alone in a room with nothing to do except think was driving him crazy. “Iruka-sensei?” He heard someone call from the other room. He ducked out of the bathroom to find Naruto standing in his room.

“Naruto, you know you don’t have to call me sensei any more.” The smile he offered the younger man was bright and genuine. Seeing Naruto would always lift his spirits. The takeout containers he had in his hands helped too. “Please say that you brought ramen.”

Naruto laughed, setting the food down on a small table. “Like I’d let my favorite sensei be stuck in the hospital without delicious ramen.” 

“Don’t let Kakashi hear you say that. He thinks he’s your favorite.” He crossed the small room and embraced the blond in a tight hug. “Did you sneak that in here? Because if so, I am letting you take all the blame when Sakura catches us.”

He laughed at his old sensei, hugging him back. “I got approval to bring it in. I’ve manged to learn a thing or two from getting hit by Sakura over the years.”

“How to handle a concussion?”

The two shared a laugh. “No, more like ask first because she is strong enough to punch me through a wall.” Naruto told him as they sat down. “How are you feeling?”

Iruka grabbed a pair of chopsticks and dug in to his ramen. He’d been desperate for something other than hospital food. He was nearly a third of the way through his food when he finally answered. “Sorry, I really needed that. I’m fine. Just a little tired. Sakura is just being overly cautious. I’m just going stir crazy sitting here.”

The blond watched him, taking in his pale skin and the bags under his eyes. He had to agree with Sakura on this one. “Well, when you she finally springs you, come over for dinner. Hinata would love to see you. She’s been really worried about you, but she didn’t want to intrude.”

“Hinata-kun is always welcome to come visits me.” He thought back fondly to the shy girl, so in love with Naruto. “I miss both of you. I let myself get so caught up in the academy and my roll as the Hokage’s spouse, that I haven’t had much time to see anyone really.”

Naruto offered him a small smile. “I’ll tell her to stop by and see you. I’m glad you’re okay, Iruka-sensei. I don’t know what I’d do without you, ya know.”

Iruka reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “I’m not going anywhere, Naruto. And that’s a promise, believe it.”

***

Karasu and Tsuyoi both dyed their hair black. It made them look even more like sisters, which helped with their story. Sisters displaced by the recent missing nin attacks in Land of Rivers had forced them to flee to the Land of Earth. They had come so close to the Hidden Leaf village hoping for work and a place to stay. A man they met took pity on them, offering them work, and a place to stay. The sisters had readily taken the offer, thanking him profusely for his kindness. It helped that this work put them half a day outside of the hidden village.

The shop was often filled with shinobi passing through, heading to and from the village, and they loved to talk about all the recent gossip and rumors. They were playing a dangerous game, spying on Leaf nin like this. It would be easy for one slip up to give them away as kunoichi, but all the Leaf nin saw were two young, beautiful sisters. Careful flirting made it easy to extract information after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has taken an interest in this story. It's one I've really wanted to write for a long time.


	3. Chapter 3

"Dog boy is back." Tsuyoi told her sister as she brought back a tray of dishes. "He's sitting in his usual spot."

Karasu looked up from the dumplings she was stuffing. "This is the third time in the past two weeks." She let her sister take over her task as she washed her hands. The shinobi had been a decent source of information for her. "I'll go take his order." Tsuyoi only nodded, focused on not messing up the food in front of her. 

She took a moment to get into character. Cold kunoichi Karasu slipped away. Aiko Satori was kinder, softer. She had a smile on her face as she approached the shinobi that seemed to be quickly becoming enamored with her. "Inuzuka-san, welcome back." She bowed as a way of greeting him. "What can I get you and Akamaru today?"

"You don't have to be so formal with me." Kiba told her, grinning. "And we will have the usual." Akamaru barked in agreement from across the booth. 

A slight blush rose up across her cheeks. "I couldn't be so informally with a great Leaf shinobi like yourself, Inuzuka-san." She let him think he was charming, that he could make sweet, naive Aiko blush. She bowed again and hurried away from the table. She felt his eyes follow her all the way to the back. 

"I think he's getting closer to asking Aiko out. He's obviously smitten." Karasu pulled down two clean bowls. It was a slow day, so only the two of them were working. She started to put together his order, lading up some broth for his ninken.

"Good. The sooner we get the intel we need, the sooner we can get out of here. Do you think he'll give it up?"

She gave Tsuyoi a look. "Please sister. The day I can't get a man to tell me what I want to know is the day I retire. I don't enjoy making dumplings anymore than you do, but at least it's not a gentleman's club." Her sister groaned at the memory. "I need to take this out to lover boy."

She carefully loaded up her tray of food and headed back out into the front. The Leaf shinobi was eagerly awaiting her return. "You always have the fastest service." He told her as she set the food down in front of them. "It all smells so amazing."

She weighted her options of a response. She blushed a bit at the compliment. "Thank you, Kiba-san." She dipped her head as if embarrassed to call him by his first name.

Kiba looked up, surprised, but was soon grinning. "You're welcome, Aiko-chan." Karasu meekly offered him a smile as she left his table to join her sister in the back. 

"Done deal." She told Tsuyoi when she rejoined her. 

***

She wasn't surprised when Kiba asked her what time she got off of work. She had coyly accepted his invitation for a walk after she got off. He was there waiting for her with flowers he had picked himself. If she really were Aiko the gesture would have been endearing. 

Kiba was the perfect gentleman and too trusting. It didn't take much prompting to get him to tell her everything she wanted to know. "After the village was attacked, my sister and I fled the Land of Rivers. There's been so much unrest in the smaller countries since the war. We came here to be safe, but shortly after we arrived we heard there was an attack." She let fear seep into her voice.  

Kiba took a protective step closer to her. "It'll be alright, Aiko-chan. The Hidden Leaf is taking care of you. You and your sister are safe here." Akamaru added a bark of agreement. 

Karasu ducked her head, as she played with the hem of her sleeve. "I heard that the Hokage's spouse was attacked. I had hoped things would be different here."

The Leaf nin reached out a hand to comfort her. "That's true, but trust me. We have our best shinobi working on finding the people responsible."

"We're so close to the village. I'd feel so much better if I knew it wasn't a target." She moved closer to him, almost standing in his arms. 

"You have nothing to worry about, Aiko-chan. I swear it. All of the reports we have put them far away from here, to the northeast. The village has added extra patrols. No one will catch us off guard." 

Karasu wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest. "Thank you so much, Kiba-san. I feel so much safer with you around." She was laying it on thick, but Kiba seemed to enjoy being the rock for poor, frightened Aiko. She felt him move to hold her, gently cradling her against his body as if she might break. 

***

Karasu subtly pumped him for more information on the way back. She was studying a map they'd stolen from a Lead nin of the Land of Fire when Tsuyoi joined her in their shared room. "I think I have a viable lead. The only problem is the area will be swarming with Leaf nin and is almost a 4 day walk from here."

"Show me." Tsuyoi took the map from her, studying where her sister indicated. "I can make it there and back in three days if I go alone. At the very least I can figure it if it's worth both of us leaving here." Once they left here they wouldn't be coming back. There would be too many questions. 

"I don't like sending you out there alone, but it's better than the alternative. Looks like my poor sister is coming down with an awful fever. That'll buy us a few days. If you aren't back in four days, I'm coming after you." She hated sending her out by herself, but with her wind jutsu she could cover great distances. 

Tsuyoi took her hand in her own. "I'll be fine sister. They'll never even know I was there." An evil smile crossed her face. "I'm sure Kiba-kun would comfort you if anything did happen."

 "Ass." She jerked her hand away. "Four days."

***

Tsuyoi retrieved her gear from where they'd hidden it. A quick check of the area confirmed she was alone. Winds began to gather around her body as she she formed the seals needed to cast her trademark jutsu. The winds wrapped around her, lifting her off the ground.

She would never tire of the feeling of flying. The land beneath her whipped by, villages and towns passing by in a blur. It burned through a ton of chakra, but it let her travel huge distances. She traveled like that for several hours until her chakra reserves started to deplete, forcing her to the ground to rest and take a soldier pill. 

She traveled like that throughout the night, several hours of travel with short rests in between, finally dropping to the ground when she was about an hour from her destination. She would go on foot from here so she could mask her chakra. After a short nap, she was on her way, soaring through the trees. She'd made good time, so she didn't push herself too much. She could still handle a fight, but the was no reason to risk it. 

Tsuyoi nearly stumbled into a group of Leaf tracking ninjas. Luckily, she felt them before crossing paths with them and used the thick foliage of trees to conceal herself. Eventually, she realized she'd reached an impasse. If she went further towards the area where the Leaf suspected Warui and his men were, she risked being discovered, so she retreated back a ways and used her summoning jutsu. 

A charm of finches surrounded her, chirping happily. She pulled out the stolen map. "10 miles north of here are a group of Leaf nin and possibly our enemy, Warui. Go and spy on them. Bring me any information on that bastard's whereabouts." The birds scattered, leaving her to wait.

The first few to return had nothing to report. The fourth finch however brought bad news. "You're certain the Leaf nin are pulling out of the area?" The bird chirped its response, making her curse in frustration. Nothing. The Leaf trackers had found noting and were returning to the village. 

She sent them out to scan the nearby area, but she doubted they'd find something. She found a safe, dry spot to rest and slept. Flying great distances like that took a great deal out of her and she needed a lot of rest before she made the return journey. 

Her finches had nothing new to report when she woke. One had seen an ANBU in the area, so she traveled quite far on foot before taking to the skies. The journey back too much longer. The soldier pills only helped so much, leaving her jittery and in desperate need of sleep. She made it back late in the night on the third day. 

Karasu woke as she entered their room. She simply shook her head, letting her sister know she'd found nothing. She'd report in fully in the morning because right now she needed sleep. She slept most of the next day, really feeling the effects of the chakra depletion. 

Her sister brought her food when she woke, which she quickly consumed as she finally reported in. "I couldn't even get close, too many Leaf nin, so I used the finches to spy on them. The trackers found nothing in the area and were already pulling out when I arrived."

Karasu swore, standing up to pace. "No one is this lucky. How many times has he slipped through our fingers? He has a spy in the village. He has to." She paused in her pacing to look at her sister. "Finches?"

"We already discussed this. It's too risky to send them to the village. You'll just have to pump lover boy for more information." 

Karasu shook her head, sighing. "I don't know how much more I can get out of him. He's a little thick, but he's not stupid. He'll get suspicious eventually. Maybe...maybe it's time to leave here. We need to find a solid lead."

"We'll give it a few more weeks." Tsuyoi set aside her empty bowl. "If we still haven't turned anything up, we will leave and see if we can't turn up anything elsewhere."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the newest chapter. For those asking about who the sisters are and their ties to the Village Hidden in the Mist, there will be more info on that few chapters. :)
> 
> Find me on Tumblr. I love chatting with all of you.  
> https://www.tumblr.com/blog/alexianite


	4. Chapter 4

Karasu threw down her laundry in disgust. A few weeks had turned into nearly two months with no new leads on Warui. Instead, she could now make dumplings from scratch in her sleep. If this was a mission, she'd had gone back to her client and told them it was a lost cause, but this was personal. She tried not to think about her mother, about what that monster did to her.

She started to fold and put away the clothes. She hesitated when she got to the scarf Kiba had gotten her. It was starting to get cold and he'd wanted to make sure she was ready for the cooler weather. She should have broken things off months ago, after Tsuyoi had followed the dead end lead, but it had become a routine. When he wasn't away on a mission, he'd stop by the shop a few times a week.

He'd tried to get her to come visit the village, but she managed to avoid it so far. He was thoughtful and sweet and a goddam distraction. She angrily threw the scarf in a drawer, slamming it closed. She had gotten too close, not that she'd ever admit it. He was a temptation, a vision of a life that wasn't hers. He was obviously falling in love with the woman he thought she was, but Karasu was no sweet maiden. Her and her sister had carved a bloody path through Warui's men. She had so much blood on her hands. She lived for revenge, not for the promise of love.

She was supposed to be getting ready for a date, not sorting through clothes, but she was putting off the inevitable. She had to break things off with Kiba. It seemed kinder to end things instead of just disappearing on him. He deserved so much more than that. 

She sighed heavily and grabbed a shawl to drape over her shoulders. She was halfway to the door before she turned back for the scarf. She hated that she felt the need to see him happy that she'd worn it. He was supposed to be a mark, a source of information. Nothing more. So why was she so excited to see him? 

This was for finding Warui, not a real relationship! She told herself over and over as she walked into the small town to meet the leaf shinobi. He'd asked her to meet him at one of local tea shops for lunch. The town was small, but had plenty of little shops since it was often a stop off before heading to Konoha. 

The tea shop was small and cozy. Karasu wasn't surprised to find him sitting alone, without Akamaru by his side. The ninken would have barely fit in the shop. She ignored the the flutter in her chest when she saw him. Just a mark, not a relationship. 

His face lit up when he saw her. "Aiko-chan, it's good to see you." Kiba stood as she approached. He moved around the small table, pulling out her chair so she could sit down. 

"Thank you so much, Kiba-san. No Akamaru today?" She unwrapped the scarf from around her neck, noticing that the leaf nin smiled when he saw it. She was glad she'd gone back for it. 

"He's playing with a few of the local children. He wouldn't exactly fit in here." This was certainly a more intimate setting than their previous dates. "Though he was a bit sad he didn't get you see you. He appreciated the snacks you made for him last time."

"I'm glad he liked them." The smile she gave him was genuine. The time she spent with him was quickly becoming the only thing she looked forward to. Every day without a lead crushed her a little more. 

The two of them enjoyed a quiet afternoon of tea and delicious food. Karasu decided to walk with him to pick up Akamaru. The poor ninken looked like the children had run him ragged, but he perked up when he saw Aiko. The two of them played for a while, slowly making their way back to the dumpling shop. When Kiba pulled her close, she let him kiss her. It wasn't the first time, but it still left her breathless. Kami, he knew how to kiss. It was only when she headed back to her room that she remembered she was supposed to end things with him. 

Tsuyoi was waiting for her in their room and she looked furious. "Have a good date, Aiko-chan?" She bit out. 

Any joy she'd felt from the day quickly dissolved in the face of her sister's anger. "What's your issue, Tsuyoi? I don't see you doing anything that's led to any leads."

"My issue is that dog boy is supposed to be a mark, not your boyfriend. We haven't heard any news for weeks and instead of helping me figure out a new plan, you're playing house with a leaf nin. Do I need to remind you why we are here? You are not Aiko." Tsuyoi's voice was practically dripping with venom by the time she finished her rant.

Her sister met her anger with rage of her own. "You think I don't know that. Aiko doesn't have the blood of half an army on her hands. Aiko didn't have to find her mother's body after a monster raped and murdered her! And neither did you. Because you weren't there!"

Killing intent flooded the room as the sisters stared each other down. Their wards were the only thing that kept any shinobi in the area from zeroing in on their chakra. "Fuck you, Karasu. I have been there every step of the way, trying to take that asshole out. I would give anything to have been there to try to save her, but I can't." The hurt and unshed tears seeped into her voice.

Her sister winced at how much pain Tsuyoi was in because of her words. "Tsu..." Karasu looked down, ashamed of how she'd reacted. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

Tsuyoi sat down hard on her bed. "I know this isn't easy for you either. I think it's time we left. Warui may have given up on the chunin. We need to regroup and come up with a new plan."

"I know." She sighed heavily, sitting down next to her sister. "I got caught up in everything." It hurt to admit it, but she had started to lose sight of their true goal. "It is...easy being Aiko, being with Kiba. How much have we given up over the years? How much has Warui taken from us?" She closed her eyes against the sudden pain that flared up.

"These last few years have been hard, but it won't always be this way. We will put him down and then we can finally move on. I don't blame you for getting lost in this pretend life we've had to build here." She slipped her arm around Karasu. "We will get through this together."

She let Tsuyoi comfort her for a moment. "We will tell everyone we are going back to the Land of Rivers. We should go to the back to the area where his men were last scene and see if we can pick up his trail. We leave in three days." Having a plan made both of them feel better about their current situation. 

***

Iruka gathered up the paperwork on his desk as he prepared to leave for the day. He'd thrown himself into work once he'd been released from the hospital after the attack. He hadn't been out of the village since the attack, especially since they still hadn't captured everyone from the group that had attacked him. 

They had discovered very little about them. The dead men belonged to a war lord from the Land of Grass who had been driven out of power, but why was he in the Land of Fire? What had Iruka done to get on the bad side of this Warui? He sighed heavily, pushing that thought away. 

The chunin was a bit startled when the door to his classroom flew open and Hitomi, one of the teaching assistants ran into the room. She was panting heavily and looked frantic. "Hitomi-san, what's wrong?"

"Iruka-sensei! You have to...I mean...they took..." She looked close to tears as she struggled to get her words out. "We were training just outside the gate and they... they took the children!"

Iruka's eyes widened as her words sank in. The teaching aides sometimes trained with the pre-genin that needed help, but they usually stayed within the village. He had to raise the alarm that children were missing. He knew Kakashi had ANBU following him since the attack, which annoyed him, but right now he was grateful. 

Hitomi grabbed his arm before he could move. "They want you, Iruka-sensei. They said to come get you or they'd kill the children." Tears started to fall down her face. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." She managed to get out between sobs.

It took precious time to calm her down enough to get more details. The enemy had two of their students. If anyone raised the alarm, or if Iruka didn't come, then they would kill the children. The chunin had to make a decision. It was a trap, but he had at least two ANBU following him. He had to take the risk. 

He left the sobbing woman behind and set off for the front gate. He mentally took stock of his weapons as he got closer to the confrontation. Izumo was at the gate, but he ignored his friend. He gave Iruka a confused look as he rushed by the other chunin as he left the village. He followed the directions Hitomi gave him to a small clearing. 

Everything in Iruka was screaming out that this was stupid and dangerous. "Glad you could join us, Iruka-sensei." A man stepped out from behind one of the larger trees, holding two limp children. He let them fall into a heap by his feet. 

"I swear to Kami if you hurt them, I wil-" Iruka never got to finish his threat because a wave of dizziness came over him, making him fall to his knees. "What..." What was happening? Why wouldn't his body respond? The last thing he saw before he passed out was was the enemy nin slowly walking towards him. 

***

Tsuyoi needed to get out of their room after their fight. She hated fighting with Karasu, especially since she was the only family she had. It pained her to see her so happy with the leaf nin. She wished she could give her sister the life she deserved. She was the older sister. She should have been the one to bear this burden. 

She adjusted the basket on her arm as she got closer to the market. She'd volunteered to get groceries for the shop just to take some time to clear her head. The last few months had really worn her down. They were so close to avenging their mother's death, but every time a lead didn't pan out it crushed them both. 

She took her time, carefully selecting produce. She was in no rush and she actually enjoyed the mundane task. She was almost done when several leaf nin rushed through the market place. The killing intent was rolling off of them in waves.

She was terrified they had been discovered for a moment, but they passed by her without so much of a glance at the kunoichi. Her heart was pounding as she headed to the small shinobi outpost at the edge of town. The chunin that usually manned it knew her sister was dating a leaf nin. She had managed to flirt with the older men and gain small bits of information before. She hoped luck was on her side today.

***

Karasu finished cleaning up their small room. They were going to let the shop owner know they were quitting and 'going home' that evening. So she'd taken the time to sort out what little they would be taking with them. She stored their supplies in a scroll, hiding it behind the small dresser. She hated herself for packing the scarf Kiba gave her, but she couldn't bring herself to leave it behind. 

Tsuyoi slammed the door open, throwing a basket of food down on her bed. "We need to move now! Iruka Hatake has been taken."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise I haven't forgotten about this story. It's just been on a back burner for a bit. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
> 
> My Alexia Nite tumblr: Lex  
> My art tumblr: Art


	5. Chapter 5

Karasu's heart was pounding in her chest as she flew through the trees, Tsuyoi at her side. She regretted being complacent just watching the village from afar. Maybe if they had pushed their luck a bit this wouldn't have happened. Every leaf-nin available would be looking for Iruka at this point. Their chances of being caught had skyrocketed, but mostly she was just worried about Warui slipping through her fingers. If Konoha got a hold of him first, then all of this had been for nothing. No, they would save the Hokage's husband and put Warui in the ground.

Tsuyoi was silent as they moved through the thick forest. She had sent her finches out to find them a lead. For now, they moved towards a cave they had been using as their home base prior to working at the dumpling shop. It was away from any populated areas, meaning they probably wouldn't run into any leaf-nin along the way. They just needed one lead, one small break. Waiting was the worst in situations like this. Every minute they could be moving Iruka further away from the village. Luck was on their side that day, though not so much for the dead shinobi one of the finches alerted them was nearby.

They changed course, circling around the area to check for enemies, before dropping down to examine his body. Karasu crouched next to his body, reaching out to touch his forehead. "He's still warm. Fresh kill. Should we risk you scouting from the sky?"

Tsuyoi considered it for a moment before nodding. "It may draw attention from leaf-nin, but what choice do we have? We need to find his men before they do." She gathered her chakra around her body, winds starting to whip around her as she took off to scout. Karasu searched the dead man's pockets, hoping for some information, but it was unlikely he had anything on him that would help. She studied his face for a moment, wondering if Kiba knew him. She shook her head, pushing all thoughts of him aside. That was not what she needed to be thinking about right now.

A pulse of chakra to the north caught her attention. Tsuyoi. She was in the trees in an instant, rushing to her sister's side. She found her fighting a group of Warui's men. Karasu grinned under her mask. Finally, they had them in their sights. They would regret working for that evil bastard when they were done with them. These were obviously not the men who had taken Iruka. Their skill levels were pitiful compared to theirs. Tanto in hand, Karasu ripped through the first few men who stood in her way. 

Tsuyoi was handling herself well, dancing through the air to avoid the enemies' attacks. She was hard to hit with her winds whipping around her body, deflecting any weapons thrown her way. Karasu quickly noticed a finch circling around one man in particular. It was her sister's way of marking who she thought was the leader. He would have the most information. Everyone else was expendable. 

The look on the leader's face when he realized his men were dead was priceless. He tried to run but found himself pinned to a tree with a well-placed kunai. He shrieked in agony as Karasu stalked towards him. He tried to reach for a weapon, but she knocked his hand away, slamming him back against the tree. "Where is Iruka Hatake?" She half growled the question. 

"Fuck you. Do you think Warui doesn't know you're here? He's going to kill you just like your whore mot-" He was cut off as Karasu wrapped her hand around his throat.

"I will cut your fucking tongue out, you waste of goddam air. Better yet, I will let you pick which piece of you I cut off first. Would you like a finger? Maybe I'll slice your ear off. How about I fucking castrate you? I'm sure we could cauterize the wound before you bled out." He was gasping for air as she tightened her grip. "There are worse things I can do to you than kill you. You will sing for me long before I grant you the peace of death." She released him, not wanting him to pass out on her just yet. It would be easier if she could intimidate him into talking. Torture would take time, which was something they didn't have much of at the moment. 

He looked at her with pure hatred in his eyes. "The only thing I regret is that I don't get to watch Warui kill you slowly and painfully." He gasped out. 

"I guess you choose the hard way." Karasu bit out, reaching into her weapon's pouch. She just hoped she could get him to break quickly.

*** 

Karasu inched forward, eyes fixed on the man guarding the makeshift base they'd set up. Tsuyoi was somewhere to her left, but she couldn't see her from where she was. They had gotten a decent amount of information out of the man in the forest. Warui’s men had found some ruins that were fairly intact. The stone building had partially collapsed, but there were several rooms that were still standing, including a basement. That was the most likely place to hold a prisoner. 

The problem was they didn't know how many shinobi were in the building and there were bound to be some men out on patrol. The guard at the entrance looked bored, clearly not expecting trouble. That was a mistake with the Hidden Leaf village on high alert. They had kidnapped the Hokage's spouse and the guard looked ready for a nap. Karasu began to wonder if the man she'd killed had given her the correct location. Maybe he hadn't actually known where Iruka was being held. She ground her teeth in anger. If he wasn't here, then she would take these shinobi apart until they gave her the answers she sought. 

A finch landed in the tree above her, chirping shrilly. A warning. Her whole body tensed up as she awaited an attack. Instead, a group of shinobi stepped out of the woods across the way from where she was hidden. The guard was immediately standing at attention, pretending he hadn't been slacking off. She was far enough away that she couldn't quite hear what was said, but some order was issued as several of the men broke off from the group and entered the ruined building. Karasu swore under her breath. There were too many of them to fight without worrying about them hurting Iruka if he was in that building. 

She didn't have to wait long to see what they were doing. The men reemerged with their hostage. Iruka Hatake had seen better days. His face was covered in blood, probably from a head wound. He stumbled as he walked, looking disoriented. If they could extract him, then fighting would be so much easier. She made a soft call to the bird, which fluttered down to rest on a rock near her. "Tsuyoi, grab him and run. I will cover your retreat." Her sister was a master at difficult extractions. They still didn't know their numbers, but this may be their best bet for recovering Iruka.

She knew her sister would hate that plan because it meant leaving her behind, but Karasu wasn't worried about these weaklings. None of them stood out in any way. More nameless shinobi that would meet their deaths at her hands. She readied herself to attack as winds began to gather in the skies above them. One of the men looked up, looking confused by the sudden shift in the weather, not realizing it was fueled by chakra. Tsuyoi descended on them when Iruka stumbled again, falling away from the shinobi that had been holding onto his arm. Before they could react, Karasu was flying through hand signs, the area around them filling with mist. They would never even see her sister's retreat. 

The sound of shouting filled her ears as she launched herself into the swirling mist. The shinobi were blind, failing about at each other, thinking the others were the enemy. More people swarmed out of the building, but her trap had been sprung. She had the advantage unless they had a sensor type amongst their numbers. Judging by how quickly they fell, they were very much unprepared for the ferocity of her attacks. Lighting cracked through the air as she formed more hands signs, gathering chakra for her signature jutsu. The man she'd pegged as the most dangerous went down with a scream as her chakra enhanced kick sliced through his body, lightning crackling through the air. 

When the last shinobi fell, Karasu surveyed the area. Her mist evaporated, giving her the full view of the area. She should go after her sister, make sure she was alright, but their base was sitting empty. There may be information inside about Warui and his whereabouts. They may not get an opportunity like this again. Either Warui's men would find the bodies or the leaf-nin would. Karasu said a silent prayer that Tsuyoi would be alright and headed into the building. She didn't have time for a proper search so she went through each room, grabbing anything that might be important. She was on her way as soon as possible, heading back to the cave. Her sister would bring Iruka there if it was safe. It was the best place to start searching for them.

It took her a while to make her way back as she doubled back several times, covering her tracks and making sure no one was following her. Tsuyoi was crouched over the unconscious form of Iruka when she finally made it back to the cave. The man was sweating heavily. "Shit, did they poison him again?" She crouched down next to her sister.

"I think they had him drugged. He was acting oddly when we got back here. Something to make him compliant, perhaps? I think he's having a bad reaction to it." This was bad. Neither of them knew much beyond the basic healing jutsu. If he got any sicker they wouldn't be able to help him. "Did you have any trouble? You were gone for a while. I was considering going back for you."

"I'm fine," Karasu assured her. "I searched through the building before heading back. I took a longer route back here to make sure I wasn't followed. What do we do with him? He probably doesn't know anything useful, especially if they had him drugged up." She pulled out a supply scroll. "I found some maps and a few scrolls. I took what I could."

"Well, we can't leave him on his own and it's not like we can drop him back off in Konoha. So we are stuck with him for now." Tsuyoi tried to make him comfortable, though he was too out of it for it to matter much. "Let's go through that you found."

*** 

Going through the building paid off big time. The maps showed several areas in the Land of Fire that Warui had men stationed. There was also mention in one the scrolls of someone paying them. It was beginning to look like he was here for more than revenge. Messing with them was probably just an added bonus. "If only we knew who was bankrolling him." Karasu rolled the scroll back up. All of the names were obvious codes, so they didn't make much headway there. 

Tsuyoi hit her arm, motioning over to where Iruka had been laying. The man was sitting up, looking dazed. He finally caught sight up them and tried to jump up to defend himself, instead, he stumbled and fell against the cave wall. Karasu sighed and went to help him. "Don't come near me." He threatened weakly.

"You have no weapons and are weaker than a child right now. I feel very threatened." She gently helped him stand.

"And we aren't here to hurt you. We saved you from Warui's men." Her sister added, shooting her a glare. Karasu helped the chunin walk to a rock that was large enough for him to sit down on. Tsuyoi tossed her a water skin. 

Iruka eyed it warily, unsure if he should trust them. Karasu sighed. She really didn't want to unhook her mask as drink some to show him it was safe. She thrust it into his hands, not caring if he decided to take a drink or not. She turned back towards her sister, but he reached out and grabbed her arm. "You...you saved me before, didn't you?" He was staring at her intensely. "I remember the mask...from the day I was attacked. You had silver hair then. Who are you?"

Shit. She had not been expecting him to remember her at all, let alone to make the connection so quickly. She jerked her arm out of his grasp. "The person who saved you, though you don't seem grateful for that."

This made Iruka flush with embarrassment. "Of course. I'm so sorry. Thank you for rescuing me. Did you contact Konoha yet?" He looked around the cave expectantly.

"Well, no. We have no plans on contacting them. They'll only get in our way." 

Iruka did not like that answer. "So I'm what exactly? Your captive? I appreciate you saving me from those men but don't think for a second you will ransom me off to the village."

Karasu couldn't help but laugh at him. "You have the wrong idea, Hatake-san. You are free to go at any time. The exit is that way." She vaguely gestured to the entrance of the cave. "We have no plans to stop you, but we aren't going to stop and make sure you are delivered back to Konoha safely. You're welcome to stay until the drugs they gave you wear off. We will be long gone before your leaf-nin find you. I have only one goal and that is to kill Warui, who for some reason has taken an interest in capturing you."

"Isn't that why you should be taking me back to Konoha then? I don't know why he wants me either, but if you take me back, we can work tog-"

"Oh yes, because your Kage will welcome enemy kunoichi with wide arms." Especially when he found out they had been in the Land of Fire for months gathering intel from their shinobi. "Besides, we already know where the bastard is. He'll be dead by tomorrow. That I can promise you." She wouldn't let anything get in her way, not when they were so close ending this. 

Karasu headed back to the maps they had laid out. She felt a bit bad being so harsh with the man, but she couldn't afford to listen to his pleases for assistance. She'd already gotten to close to one leaf-nin. She didn't need another one making her lose sight of her revenge. Tsuyoi was giving her a look she couldn't quite decipher. She focused on planning out their approach to Warui's base, ignoring her. "We will leave in the morning. Rest up because we have a lot of ground to cover."

*** 

Iruka felt like death, head pounding. As much as he'd love to be away from this cave, from the kunoichi that was softly talking across the way, it would be extremely dangerous to leave in this state. If he ran into an enemy shinobi he'd be defenseless. Best to stay and rest as much as he could. It probably also wasn't best to let the kunoichi run around the Land of Fire doing as they pleased, so any information he could gather on them the better. This was twice now they had saved his life and he didn't even know their names. Their hair was dyed black now, but he was certain the one with the mask had silver hair before. No wonder he'd thought Kakashi had saved him. 

They obviously knew something about this Warui. If only he could convince them to work with Konoha. This felt like it was personal between them though. Emotions made it harder to appeal to their rational side. He leaned his head back against the cold, cave wall. How was he going through this? He ran through his options, but none of them stood out as a spectacular choice. He needed more rest and then maybe he would feel better about having to make the trip back to Konoha alone.

He didn't realize he had nodded off until he was gently shaken awake. The woman with the mask was crouched next to him. "You can take my bedroll, Hatake-san." She was gone before he could respond. She had laid the bedroll out next to him at some point and he was grateful that he wouldn't have to sleep on the cold, rocky ground. His body was stiff from him sleeping upright and he groaned as he moved to lay down. His body was worn out and he was asleep the instant his head hit the ground. 

Iruka was awakened by a soft scratching sound. There was little light in the cave, the candles the women had been using were mostly out. He could just make out their sleeping forms across the cave. He was much closer to the entrance, which meant the noise was probably coming from some animal outside. He closed his eyes, intent on ignoring the sound and getting more sleep. "Iruka-sensei." A soft, gruff voice called from behind him.

"Not now, Pakkun. I'm sleeping," he muttered softly. It took him a minute to realize what he'd said. "Pakkun." He sat up quickly, looking for the pug.

"Shh!" He whispered loudly. "Are you trying to wake the enemy up?"

"Enemy?" Iruka asked, rubbing his eyes. Before he could explain further, an unnatural mist filled the cave, obscuring his vision. He heard the ninken growl and a loud scuffle. "Pakkun!" He heard one of the women cry out in pain just before the pug flew passed him, yelping in pain as he landed. "Stop! He's my husband's summon!" He called out to whichever one of the kunoichi had attacked him. He scrambled across the cave floor, trying to find the pug. He pulled him into his arms as the mist cleared.

The masked kunoichi was holding her arm. "The little bastard bit me!"

"You put some sort of seal on me." The pug growled at her, trying to leap from Iruka's arms to attack her.

"Pakkun, stop. They saved me. They aren't with the enemy." The chunin had to grab him by the scruff to get him to stop. He was right about the seal though. Some sort of tag was stuck to his back. "What is this, kunoichi-san? Is this going to hurt him?"

She glared at him. "No, it's to prevent him from transporting away."

"Can you please take it off?"

"Why so he can alert every leaf-nin in the area where we are? No thanks. Get up, Tsuyoi. We are leaving now!" She pulled out some bandages from a pouch and began wrapping her arm, cursing the pug. The other kunoichi quickly started packing their things up in storage scrolls. 

Iruka wanted to shake the woman. Couldn't she see that working with them would be so much easier? "Do you have to be so stubborn? If you just came back with us..." He trailed off when she pinned him with a hard stare.

Pakkun wiggled in his arms, trying to get his attention. "Uh, Iruka-sensei, we have a bigger issue right now?"

He looked down at the dog. "What could possibly be a bigger issue? They know where this Warui man is. We could end this all and return to Konoha."

The dog leapt out of his arms, trailing after the masked woman, sniffing at her leg. Iruka tried to warn him not to antagonize her, but what the little dog had to say left him speechless. "No doubt about it. This is the pup's kid." The only person he ever called pup was...Kakashi. The realization hit him hard as all the pieces fell into place. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Four long months and finally an update. I am working very hard to finish up my current WIPs before starting any new multi-chapter fics, so this one should have more updates coming. Thank you so much for reading.
> 
>  
> 
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> Also, I started posting an original story. Please check it out! [Exiting Eden](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18633511/chapters/44186227)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some warnings on this chapter. There are brief mentions of rape (nothing in detail). Also violence in this chapter (and the next one). There is a scene that could be gory, but I didn't go into too much detail.

Karasu started down at the little dog, murderous intent flaring up for a moment. How did he know? "Is it true?" Iruka's voice was shaking a bit as he looked up at her. "Are you..."

"No," she said firmly. "I don't know what he's talking about." Turning away from them was the hardest thing she'd ever done. "We’re leaving now. Don't try to follow us." She couldn't look Tsuyoi in the face as she knelt down to grab her things. This was not how things were supposed to go. No one was supposed to find out who she was or what her connection to Kakashi Hatake was. 

"Please, don't go!" The chunin scrambled to his feet. "How is this possible? Kakashi doesn't know about you, does he? He would never let his child be alone in this world." He gasped when he found himself pinned to the wall of the cave with one hand.

"Stop talking," Karasu growled. "You know nothing of my life! And I'm not alone." The pug started growling at her. "Knock it off or I'll punt you out of the cave, little rat!"

Tsuyoi grabbed her arm. "Come on. Let's just go."

She tried to step away, but Iruka grabbed her arm. "You don't understand, kunoichi-san. Take me back to the village and let me explain to him-"

"And what? Do we become one big, happy family? No thanks. I've known my entire life where my father was. I wasn't interested then, I'm not interested now. Now, let go of me. I don't want to hurt you." Karasu forced the words out, make them sound harsh, but the truth was she wanted to know her father. Her life was a constant choice between her wants and what she had to do. She had to kill Warui to avenge her mother. Her wants would never be more important than that.

The chunin's hands fell away from her arm. He looked hurt, almost broken, by her words. She kept careful control of her face as she stepped away from him. This was for the best. Iruka would just get in their way. She was so close to killing Warui that she could practically taste it. Before they made it to the mouth of the cave, the ground under their feet began to tremble. "Move! We need out of here!" She shoved Iruka towards the entrance as a loud cracking could be heard overhead. Adrenaline spiked through her body, pushing her forward as the four of them just barely made it out of the cave as it began to collapse in on itself. 

"Look what we have here, boys. We seem to have flushed out some cockroaches." The laugh that bellowed through the night was like a knife that cut right through her. Warui had found them. 

"Tsuyoi take Hatake-san and get out of here."

"But-"

"Just fucking go!" She shouted at her sister as she ran through the hand signs to call forth her mist so they could escape. She wouldn't be able to fight him if she was worried that Iruka might be hurt. Her sister would protect him, delivering him back safely to her father. She just had to hold Warui and his men back. 

-

Tsuyoi gritted her teeth as Karasu yelled orders at her. Everything in her was screaming at her to stay, to fight. "Don't die!" She shouted as she grabbed the pug by his scruff and tossed him into Iruka's arms. Before the man could argue against their plan she summoned her winds and lifted the three of them into the air. The forest whipped by them as she raced away from the enemy-nin at full speed. It would be easy to follow their trail with all the broken branches that tore off as they flew by, but there were few shinobi who could keep up with her at her fastest speeds. She had to make sure Iruka was secure before she could help her sister and avenge their mother.

She could hear Iruka struggling to breathe next to her. The wind vortex they were in was sucking out the air. Karasu was usually the only one who traveled with her like this and was used to it. "Take shallow breaths!" She shouted over the sound of her winds. "I will slow down when we're further away!" He would just have to make do for a while longer. They had covered quite a bit of distance in just a few minutes. Hopefully, the burst of chakra would draw leaf-nin to them, then Iruka could be their problem. 

Every minute that ticked by felt like an eternity as she moved further away from Karasu. 'Please be safe', she chanted in her mind as she pushed herself harder than she probably should have. The more distance between them the better. 

A large chakra signature flared up behind them and it took her a moment to realize it was quickly approaching their location. At this rate, they would catch up any minute now. She could go faster if it was just her, but as long as she had to protect Iruka then her options were limited. "I'm going to send you on ahead by yourself. Someone is headed this way and I doubt they're friendly. My winds can carry you a few miles more." 

She broke away from him, watching as the swirling winds moved on without her. She had less control this way, but it meant more distance between him and the enemy. She fell through the air, using just enough chakra to float to the ground. The enemy perusing them was almost on top of her, so there was so time for traps. She'd have to make do with a surprise attack. Hopefully, he hadn't felt her drop down and assumed she was still with Iruka heading towards the village. 

Whoever was coming was incredibly fast. She didn't know of any of Warui's men that could keep up with her, so he must have recruited someone new. She crouched down behind a tree and waited. She had to time this perfectly or the element of surprise would be ruined. The chakra signature was almost there. She waited until the last moment to start molding her own chakra. Her hands flew through the signs just as he came into view. His head jerked down towards her as his feet touched down on a tree in front of her. Too late for him as she let loose her jutsu. A small ball of wind slammed into the tree, exploding on contact, and obliterating it. Wood splinters flew everywhere, large chunks of the tree embedded itself into the surrounding forest. 

She moved forward, going for her weapon as she searched for any sign of her pursuer. She found him not far from the tree, gasping for air. A rather large piece of the wood had impaled his chest. He had been fast, but moving at that speed was dangerous if you couldn't anticipate attacks. Fast and now as good as dead. She finished him off, giving him a quick death. It was more than what one of Warui's men deserved, but she couldn't leave an enemy at her back. Now, to find Iruka.

-

Karasu had managed to avoid most of the initial attacks. It helped that none of them could see in the mist as she could. She moved silently, picking them off one by one. She had to buy time for Tsuyoi to get away with Iruka. A huge burst of chakra flared up, speeding past her before she could react. It headed straight in the direction her sister had gone. Worry for Tsuyoi flooded her mind, making her sloppy. She cried out when someone struck a lucky blow, something sharp ripping through her left shoulder. The wound was a small one, but her cry had alerted them to her position. 

Warui's voice came booming through the fog. "I will find you, you little bitch and gut you like I did your whore mother! Release this jutsu and face me!" As if she'd give up her advantage before she finished killing his men. He'd brought a small group with him, but most of them were dead now. Only one had escaped that she could sense. Another group of weaklings sacrificed as pawns for the ex-warlord. 

When the last of his men fell, she finally let the mist fade away. It was a constant chakra drain and she needed all her strength to face the man now standing in front of her. His face was full of rage as he took in the sight of the bodies that surrounded them. She smirked at him. "I killed all your men. Again. Oops."

"And I made your mother beg for her life with her dying breath," Warui hissed as at her. "I will make what I did to her look like a fucking mercy killing compared to what I have planned for you. You and your sister have messed with my plans for the last time!"

Karasu gripped her tanto and pushed aside the anger that rose up. He wanted her furious. If she was angry, then she would make a mistake. She already had one wound, she couldn't afford to slip up again. This was it. The moment she had sacrificed so much for. This man had killed her mother, had done unspeakable things to her. She was going to bathe in his blood and revel in it. 

He moved first, which was fine. Let him tire himself out attacking. He was a large man, so she could outlast him when it came to stamina. He was wasting chakra that could be put into more focused attacks rather than dancing around her. She was faster than him by a lot. It made no sense for him to be attacking her this way. He wasn't even close to connecting with her. It was too easy.

Her eyes widened as she realized he had pushed her back into the forest and almost into a trap. She hadn't been paying attention to the area around them and it nearly cost her everything. She caught the glint of a wire a second before her leg touched it. She managed to roll out of the way, but the trap still went off. She nearly shouted as a kunai sliced through the back of her leg. How long had they been outside the cave waiting for them to come out? What other traps were out there?

"Not so fast now, you little bitch!" His breath was hot against her neck as he tried to pull her into some sort of grapple move. She kicked out, ignoring the pain in her leg, connecting with his stomach. She channeled chakra to her foot, lightning building up. The injury did make her slower, meaning Warui could easily jump back before she could finish the chakra enhanced kick, avoiding the worse of the damage. 

Karasu gritted her teeth as she jumped into the trees above. She needed some sort of advantage and she would be faster than him in the trees, even with an injured leg. She heard him barrel into the canopy after her, swearing. Where she could easily weave in and out of the branches, his larger form seemed to catch on every tree. She used that to her advantage as her kunai flew through the air.

She heard him curse as he crashed into a branch trying to avoid her weapons. Her hands flew through the signs for the scattering bullets water release. He should have tried to draw her back to the ground where they were more evenly matched. This would be his downfall. Her jutsu tore through the trees and apparently through Warui if his cries of pain could be believed. This would be nothing to the pain she would make him endure. She changed directions moving higher into the trees and back towards her enemy, dropping down once she was in range to attack. Her tanto sliced through his shoulder before he realized she was there. 

She channeled chakra to her feet again, hands a blur as she formed the signs for one of her most powerful attacks. She leaped into the air, spinning so she could connect with Warui's back. The chakra drain was almost immediate, but it was worth it as her leg sliced through the air, directing a bolt of lighting into the bastard's body. The force of the impact shattered the tree limb he had been standing on, sending him tumbling to the ground. Her victory was finally in sight. She could practically taste his defeat.

The kunoichi dropped to the ground below as Warui struggled to his feet. His back was blackened where her attack had landed, burnt flesh peeling back from the wound. "What was that about making me beg?" She taunted him as she slowly circled in closer. "Because you're looking a little worse for wear, Warui."

He coughed as he finally made it to his feet, blood running from his mouth. "This isn't over," he wheezed. "You think this end with me? Your sister is heading straight into a trap. Dougu is waiting for her and your father's cock sucking husband." Karasu fought not to react, to stay focused on the man in front of her. This was not the time to be distracted. Tsuyoi could take care of herself. "Your whore mother thought she was better than me, just like you two. She cried the first time I put my co-"

Her careful control slipped as she surged forward. She didn't want to hear the details of her mother's rape. No, she wanted to end this and be done with the waste of air that was Warui. She realized her mistake almost instantly. Knowing he was going to die made a man do crazy things, like activate a fistful of explosive tags. She couldn't move fast enough as he desperately tried to punch her. The explosion wasn't the worst she'd been through, but it was close to her face and chest, which wasn't good. She was thrown backward into a tree and felt something snap inside of her body. There were burns on the upper half of her torso, but the adrenaline meant she couldn't feel the full extent of them.

She crumbled to the ground whimpering in pain. This was not how she pictured this fight would end. Warui was several feet away from her, body twitching. Most of his right arm was...gone. Her stomach rolled at the sight. His was still alive somehow, but wouldn't be for much longer. She began to stand, leaning heavily against the tree behind her. Bark dug into her hand as she pulled herself up. She was hurt, but alive. She would heal and for the first time in her life, she knew for certain that Warui wasn't slipping away. 

He was struggling for air as Karasu limped her way over to him. She stopped, just outside of his reach and stared down at the man who took her mother from her. She’d thought of this moment so much over the years. She always felt like some great weight would be lifted from her shoulders, but mostly she felt sad. Grief for her mother welled up inside of her. She’d had so little time to grieve her since all of this started. At that moment, it was like losing her all over again. "C-crying for me, girl?" Warui's managed to choke out. 

"My mother was a light that you snuffed out." Karasu closed the small distance between them. "And it brings me great join to know where you're going, you will never see that light again." She knelt down and dragged a kunai across his throat, ending his life. "May you know as much pain in your next life as you brought my mother in this one, you piece of shit." If her voice cracked at that moment, only she would know. This wasn't the end though. She had to push through the pain.

Tsuyoi was in trouble if what Warui had said was true. Dougu was supposed to be dead, but if he was truly alive then her sister would need all the back up she could get. She made her way back to her weapons. Her leg was holding up okay for now, but being slammed into a tree hadn't helped the wound that was already there. Her left arm hurt, but she could move it, so it probably wasn't broken. She didn't have chakra to waste on healing anything that wasn't a major injury, not that she was very skilled with healing jutsu. She was more concerned with her internal injuries. Breathing hurt a bit, never a good sign. She had to make it to Tsuyoi, but she was miles away, close to the village by now. 

She had to at least try. She would never forgive herself if something happened to her while she was fighting Warui. If Tsuyoi died then what was any of this for? She pushed aside the panic that rose in her and popped a soldier pill into her mouth. Things were dire, but the leaf-nin had to be aware of what was happening by now. She would be safe. So would Iruka. Everyone would be fine. She chanted this in her head as she took to the trees. She couldn't move as quickly as normal but she pushed herself as hard as she could, desperately trying to reach her sister in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we have confirmation that Karasu is Kakashi's daughter and that she knows all about it. But more importantly the bastard Warui is dead! I didn't want to craw out the fight too much (fighting scenes aren't my strong suit), but I hope this chapter did justice to how she would feel after years of chasing this man. Thank you so much for sticking with this story.
> 
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